Cracked Rail Spike Detector
Design Team 4:
Chad Church: Team Manager
Ron Fox: Webmaster
Matt Hamm: Lab Manager
Geoff Brigham: Presentation Prep
John Vogel: Documentation Prep
Overview
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Introduction and Project Goals
Background
Design Specifications
Final Product
Future Improvements
Budget
Introduction & Project Goals
o Introduction
• Fully loaded freight trains generate enormous
amounts of pressure on the rails
• Cracked rail spikes cannot be detected visually
• Broken rail spikes cannot be fully removed without
damaging the rail tie
Introduction & Project Goals
o Project Goals
• Design a device to find cracked spikes
o Low cost
o Portable
o Accurate
Ultrasonic Testing Overview
o Non-Destructive Testing
o Piezoelectric Ultrasonic Transducer
o Piezoelectric Crystal
o Electrical Energy Mechanical Energy
o Short Wavelength
o Exceptional Penetration
Time Response
o Flaw Detection Length (111.45 mm)
o Sound Velocity = 5,890 m/s
o Time Range
o 10μs
50μs
Design Specifications
o Detect Cracks ¼” and Larger
o Lightweight and Ergonomic
o Easily Interpreted Results
o Rechargeable Battery Life > 4 Hours
o Weatherproof
o Low Cost
Final Product
o Proof of Concept Testing
• Coupling
• Flattened surface
• Appropriate amplitude spikes
Final Product
o Display
• Generated appropriate light with appropriate
input
• Generated audible sound with input
Final Product
o Pulser Generator
• 100 volt spike of 20 µsec width
• 10 spikes 40 µsec apart
o Comparative software
• Compare reflected signal to reference
• Determine crack probability
Final Product
o Receiver filter and amplifier
• Unable to amplify signal for analysis
• Better amplification circuit needed
Future Improvements
o Better amplification to analyze signal
o Weatherproof casing
o Bubble coupling capsule
o Level indicators
o Position markers
Budget
Item Description
Transducer, Sensor
BNC to BNC cable
*Student Discount
TRANSFORMR 115/230VAC 10VCT 90MA
High Voltage Switch Mode DC-DC Converter
RELAY SSR SPST 400V 120MA 4DIP
MOSFETs 400V Dual N-Ch QFET
MOSFETs 100V 20A 38.2mOhm
IC AMP 14-DIP *Suggested
Dual Transducer, 5 MHz, 0.25" Element Diameter
Cable. Dual for DHC XDCR - BNC to MICRODOT
Mfg Part Number Quantity Cost Per Unit
Line Item Total
A106S-RB
1
$249
$249.30
BCB-58-6
1
$32.40
$32.40
($28.17)
($28.17)
160D10
3
$6.19
$18.57
2
$19.99
$39.98
G3VM-401A
3
$3.16
$9.48
FQS4901TF
3
$0.83
$2.49
FDPF3860T
3
$1.10
$3.30
LM359N/NOPB
1
$2.88
$2.88
DHC711-RM
1
$316.00
$316.00
BCMD-316-5F
2
$74.00
$148.00
Total Cost
$794.23
Review
o Device to detect cracks in spikes
o Ultrasound
o Results
o Future improvements
Demonstration